The Bill Moyes Flight of the Year Award

In memory of Bill Moyes, founder of Moyes Gliders, we're proud to honour the most inspiring hang gliding stories from around the world. Whether it’s a flight that left you in awe, brought a deep sense of accomplishment, or created an unforgettable moment - we want to hear your story.

Congratulations to our March winner, Jeff St Aubin!

Jeff’s heartfelt and inspiring story comes from the Valle de Bravo Sport Class Competition, held in February 2025 in Mexico. For three of the past four years, Jeff has made the incredible 6,000 km round trip from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Valle de Bravo - a true testament to passion and dedication to the sport.

Jeff writes: On my first trip to Valle I had yet to ever fly cross country and this was my first competition. It was a major skill developer for me and opened me up to the global hang glider community and I haven't looked back since!

The journey sure is a haul but very worth it!

I wish I could have had the chance to meet Bill. Falling into hang gliding has without a doubt been the most positive life changing occurrence I have had and no other physical object has given me the amount of sheer joy and amazement my Gecko has, it truly is a wonder machine!

Many many thanks!
Jeff St Aubin

Jeff, your $200 Moyes voucher is on its way, and you've officially earned a spot in the Grand Final draw later this year. Well done!

Here is his story:

Bittersweet victory in Valle

By Jeff St Aubin

I launched first, and now I was low. It was the fifth and final task of the 2025 El Peñón Classic in Valle de Bravo, Mexico. I had had enough time to fly around and process some things, but with twenty minutes to go til the first start, I thought I had really botched things up. Sitting in fourth place in my fourth time competing at the event, I gave myself one last chance before accepting I had to land. Skirting by the lowest foothill, I slink my Gecko up the terrain in a slowly budding climb that soon disconnects from the pine-lined slope.

I was relaxed. More relaxed flying than I think I had ever been before. Two days beforehand we had lost a fellow competitor in lee side rotor. Five days before that, we had watched a paraglider spiral down without a reserve. Both images seared into my mind, it had been a heavy week for all of us. I searched in the air to regain the joy of flight... and I found it; in melding with my glider and sharing that with the friends around me.

No longer thinking about landing, I twirl above launch and join the others flitting in bubbles on the back ridge. We struggle to gain a hundred feet over when I see another Gecko running low toward the ridge rising from the magic elbow. I crank the VG and dive in, trusting there was enough breeze to surf us up the wall behind Peñón. On toward the mesa! We skim the treetops working that fine line of lift and control our Geckos excel at. A well-timed climb funnels us up for the start and we race down the spine to the first turnpoint. Turning back toward launch, I see the crew of homies I had been flying with for the last few weeks spread ahead of me in their U2s and Sport 3 Races.

The race is on! Zooming by el Peñón, we tag launch en masse and turn back for another lap. Zipping across the mesa’s converging lift, we wring the speed out of our sails and return barely above launch. With one more turnpoint before we break off toward Lago, they pick that same inside line of the back ridge. Seeing a group of Open pilots out front above the tower of el Peñón, I beeline it under them and hook an elevator ride up its limestone face. Returning to the clouds after tagging the cylinder over the back of the mesa, I chuckle as my friends scratch up from below the wall.

Taking my foot off the throttle, I think no more racing, XC mode; got to make it to the lake! Cloudbase was just over 10,500ft that day. I had made it to Lago from less than that before, but it was a nail-biter of a direct line. This task called for a longer dogleg approach, with one final turnpoint by the airport. Slowing it down to milk my glide, I divert over Penitas’ s rocky outcropping and turn my last few circles nibbling at lift. I take an 11:1 glide to goal as my cue to boogie. Sitting at 9,900ft, I needed to cover 13 km to reach the lake’s 6,070ft shore. I had nearly 4,000ft to play with and was reading an actual L/D of 30...40:1 displayed when I jetted downwind... Things looked pretty good! That is, until I was a few hundred feet above the stair steps, wading against the lake’s 10 mph headwind. I was swimming in sink! All I had was goal in front of me and needed just 7:1, but I was only getting 5:1... 6.... 5.... this is going to be close! It was a tense few moments until I slid through one final patch of lift. Not needing to turn, I slow it down until I see 4:1 to goal and scoot on in.

Completing the 35 km task in 46 minutes netted me first place in Sports Class and my first comp win. The next fastest pilot finished 12 minutes slower after taking the second start, leaving me alone in the LZ wondering where everyone else was for over twenty minutes. Despite having the third fastest time on the previous task, I had won the day on lead and arrival points, with four of us finishing within 35 seconds of each other over two starts and all averaging over 40 kph. It was then we watched our fellow competitor spiral down. Losing Chowy makes results seem pointless. But still we fly... and still we race... because we want to be in the sky with friends.

Jeff St. Aubin
Chattanooga, Tennessee USA
Moyes Gecko 155 Pro

How to Enter:

• Write about your most inspiring flight (minimum 250 words).
• Include photos or videos to bring your story to life.
• Submit via the Dropbox link below:
• https://www.dropbox.com/request/hYqCEArKJSzSjaS2qcYK
• or email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  Note: Your flight must have taken place in this calendar year.

Prizes:

• Monthly winners will receive a $200 voucher and entry into the grand final.
• The grand final winner will get a $1000 voucher and their name engraved on the Bill Moyes Flight of the Year trophy!
• The winners will be chosen by the Moyes family. The monthly winners will be announced in the first week of each month, and the grand final winner will be revealed in January.

We can’t wait to see your stories! Fly high, share your journey, and celebrate the spirit of flight with us!